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THIS week’s memorable moments range from the controversial to the glamorous to the historical.
Kicking off this week is ‘Fabulous’ Phil Carman’s headbutt on boundary umpire Graham Carberry at Moorabbin in 1980. In his first year with Essendon after starting with Collingwood, then moving to Melbourne, the temperamental Carman responded to intense Carberry scrutiny by planting a Liverpool kiss on the boundary umpire. 20 weeks on the sidelines was the end result.
29 years earlier, another star Essendon forward, the greatest of all John Coleman was also involved in a controversial report after striking Carlton’s Harry Caspar in the final round of the home and away season. Coleman was suspended for four weeks, effectively finishing his season and the Bombers lost the Grand Final by 11 points. The photo of a tearful Colman leaving the tribunal hearing remains one of the most iconic images of the game.
One of Essendon’s prouder moments came in the final round of 1990 when the four Daniher brothers Terry, Anthony, Neale and Chris played together for the first time. As with the Carman incident, the Bombers were playing St Kilda at Moorabbin but the day was a happy one for the red and black.
Terry Daniher was on hand ten years later at what was then called Colonial Stadium to kick the ceremonial first goal at the new ground. The $460 million venue had been built to replace Waverley Park as an AFL venue and has become a favourite of Melbourne football fans.
In the 1980s the then VFL made a push to have an interstate presence by moving South Melbourne to Sydney. The club battled along for a few years until Dr Geoffrey Edelsten took charge. Stars such as Greg Williams and Gerard Healy were recruited to the club and a sense of genuine glamour was brought to the game. Soon enough Dr Edelsten’s star burnt out and the Swans were headed back to struggle-town where they stayed for at least a decade.
In 1994, North Melbourne and Hawthorn were involved in the first ever final to go into overtime because of a draw. The league had introduced over-time several years earlier but it has only been implemented twice – this game and last year’s semi-final between West Coast and Collingwood.
